Tafseer Ibn Kathir of YUNUS [53]

53. And they ask you to inform them (saying): ”Is it true'' Say: ”Yes! By my Lord! It is the very truth! And you cannot escape it!'' 54. And if every person who had wronged, possessed all that is on the earth and sought to ransom himself therewith (it will not be accepted), and they would feel in their hearts regret when they see the torment, and they will be judged with justice, and no wrong will be done unto them. Allah said that they ask you to inform them (saying):

(”Is it true'') asking about the return and the Resurrection from the graves, after the bodies become sand.

(Say: ”Yes! By my Lord! It is the very truth! And you cannot escape it!'') meaning that becoming sand does not make Allah incapable of bringing you back, since He originated you from nothing.

(Verily, His command, when He intends a thing, is only that He says to it, `Be!' - and it is!)ï´¿36:82ï´¾ There are only two other Ayat in the Qur'an similar to this. Allah commands His Messenger to give an oath by Him to answer those who deny the return. He said in Surah Saba',

(Those who disbelieve say: ”The Hour will not come to us.'' Say: ”Yes, by my Lord!, it will come to you.'') (34:3) The second is in Surat At-Taghabun, He said:

(The disbelievers claimed that they will never be resurrected. Say: ”Yes! By my Lord! you will certainly be resurrected, then you will be informed of (and recompensed for) what you did; and that is easy for Allah.'') (64:7) Then Allah informed us that when the Resurrection is established the disbelievers will wish that they could ransom themselves from Allah's punishment with the equivalent of the weight of the earth in gold.

(And they would feel in their hearts regret when they see the torment, and they will be judged with justice, and no wrong will be done unto them.)